Steam or vapor engine



2 SheetS Sheet 1. A. BOW-N.

STEAM 0R VAPOR ENGINE.

Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

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7'! game (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. .BOWN.

STEAM 0R VAPOR ENGINE.

Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

M T M V N l ATOR/VEY NITED STATES A'IBNT rincn.

ALBERT BOVVN, OF STREATOR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FAIVOETT PLUMB, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM OR VAPOR ENGlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part-of Letters Patent No. 310,369, dated January 6, 1885.

Application filed May 8, 188-1. (N model.)

1' 0 ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT BOWN, of Streator, in the county of La Salle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam or Vapor Engines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in steam or vapor engines, the object being to provide a three-cylinder engine, each cylinder having a piston acting as apiston for its respective cylinder and as a valve for another cylinder, and to so construct the engine that instead of exhausting the steam at the end of the working stroke into the crank-case by the uncovering of their exhaust-port through the lower edge of the piston, which may be acting as a valve, raising or passing above the same, it shall exhaust into a common eductionport, andwhich shall also take steam from a common induction-port.

W'iththis end in view my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is alongitudinal vertical cross-section of my improved engine. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 00 00 of Fig. 3, the pistons being removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through cylinder D. Fig. 4 is an end view of the shaft.

A represents a casing, to the upper side of which are rigidly secured the cylinders B C D, and through which casing passes the horizontal three-throw shaft E, the cranks being prefcrably placed at an angle of one hundred and twenty degrees, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

To each end of the casing A is secured a box or bearing, a, in which is journaled the shaft E, the said bearing being secured to the ends in any desired manner, and preferably contains a packing, ct, adapted to take up and hold oil or other fluid lubricant, with which the casing A is filled.

To the crank-pins c on the shaft E are secured the lower ends of the pitmen F, the up per ends of which are pivotally secured to cross-bars b, rigidly secured within the pistons G, which latter are made hollow and open at the bottom, and are externally provided with a circumferential groove, (2, formed a short distance above the center, and with a groove 0r recess, (1, formed at right angles with the groove d and about the same depth. These pistons are adapted to slide easily within the cylinders, and, if desired, may be provided with a recess or groove near its lower end for the reception of a suitable packing, Z. The three cylinders are provided with a common eduction or exhaust outlet, I, into which lead outlets from the cylinders, as shown at 1. Below the exhaust I is formed a common inlet, H, into which lead openings into the cylinders, as shown at H, the inlet H being adapted to convey the live steam from the boiler to the cylinders. The cylinder B is also provided with a port, J, leading from a little above the center of said cylinder B into the upper end of the cylinder D, and the cylinder the cylinder 0, and the cylinder 0 with a port, L, leading into the upper end of the cylinder B. It will now be readily seen that when the pitman F in the cylinderB is at three-quarters of its downward or working stroke its piston G allows the live steam or vapor to enter from inductionport II, pass around the groove (1 into the recess d, and through the port J into the upper end of cylinder D, and the steam continues so to enter, forcing the piston of cylinder D downward until the pitman passes the center and completes one-quarter of its up to cylinder D is out off, and the piston of cylinder D finishes the remainder of its downward stroke under the force of expansion of the steam already admitted. XVhen the piston of cylinder B has reached three-quarters of its upward stroke, it allows the steam to escape from the cylinder D (whose piston has just reached the end of its stroke) through the port J in a downward direction,around the piston in cylinder B,through port I, into the common exhaust, I. This same action occurs with the piston in cylinder 0 acting as a valve for cylor exhaust stroke, when the admission of steam D with a port, K, leading into the upper end of inder'B, and with the piston in cylinderD acting as a valve for cylinder 0, and need not again be described.

Although the duration of admission of steam is fixed at three-quarters of the working stroke by the crank-angles of one hundred and twenty degrees, the time of both taking steam and exhausting may be varied by the position and length of the ports II I in a direction parallel to the axes of the cylindersthat is, in the direction of the stroke. Thus a prerelease or an early exhaust may be obtained by extending port I in an upwardly direction. By thus using a common exhaust, I avoid exhausting through the casing A, as in engines now in common use, in which latter case there is a tendency to heat the working parts to a temperature equal to that of exhaust-steam, and carrying away the lubricant in a current of exhaust-steam.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to without involving a departure fro m the spirit of my invention, and hence Iwould have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, but consider my self at liberty to make such changes as fall Within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In amultiple-cylinder engine, the combination, with three cylinders having inlet and exhaust passages common to them all and provided with communicating passages, substantially as described, of the three pistons,

each provided with a recess and a circumferential groove leading into said recess, adapting it to operate as a valve for another cylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a suitable casing, of three vertical cylinders secured to the upper side thereof andhavinginlet and exhaust passages common to them all, the first cylin der being also provided with a passage lead ing into the third cylinder, the third cylinder with a passage leading into the second cylinder, and the second cylinder with a passage leading into the first cylinder, and three pistons, each constructed and arranged to operate as a valve for another cylinder, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with a suitable casing, of three vertical cylinders secured to the up per side thereof and having inlet and exhaust passages common to them all, and provided with communicating passages, substantially as described, a crank-shaft journalcd in the ends of said casing, three pistons connected to the shaft by pitmen, and each provided with a recess and a circumferential groove leading into the recess, adapting it to act as a valve for another cylinder, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a suitable casing, of the cylinders 13 O D, having the inlet H and the exhaust I, common to all, and provided with the passages J K L, three pistons, G, each provided with a recess, (1, and a groove, d, shaft E, and pitmen F, all of the above parts combined and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses. 4 p

A. BOXVN.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN E. \VILLIAMS, FA\VOETT PLUMB. 

